Queen of Nothing is the third and final novel in the trilogy The Folk of the Air, written by Holly Black. In the last book, Jude was exiled from Faerie. She goes back to the mortal world feeling powerless and utterly betrayed. She hates herself for letting Cardan get the best of her and she is determined to get back to Elfhame and her throne. Opportunity comes knocking in the form of Taryn. Jude’s twin has committed a crime and needs Jude to pretend to be her for the trial. Since Taryn can not resist the charms of the fey and Jude can, Taryn needs Jude to lie for her. Putting aside her anger for Taryn, Jude journeys back to her once home, only to find it on the brink of war. When Jude is ‘rescued’ by Madoc- who thinks he is saving Taryn- she tries to keep up the act, hoping to deceive him. Deep into enemy lines, Jude wishes to find information for Cardan, thinking that enough of it will convince him to lift his exile and allow Jude to come home. At what looks to be the start of the war, a curse is put upon Elfhame. To break it, Jude is forced to choose between her humanity and ambition. 

I really enjoyed the final book in this series. I liked that it focused a lot on Jude’s relationships with her family. It was interesting to see the family’s dynamic after so many betrayals, all beginning with the murder of the girls’ parents so long ago. I also noticed Jude’s growth throughout the trilogy. She starts off being a scared and angry girl, but as time goes on, she learns to trust others. Jude hones her anger and fear, using it to empower her, instead of cowering to it. In this novel, I think she also learns mercy and forgiveness. Cardan has joked that the only solution to conflict Jude knows is murder. Jude has always felt the need to fight, slaughter, deceive her way to the top, like Madoc. However, she is tired. When she needs to the most, when all of Elfhame is counting on her ruthlessness, Jude doesn’t want to kill. She allows her feelings to help motivate her to make the right choice. Towards the end, she also shows mercy to one of her greatest enemies. Jude mends her relationship with Taryn, Vivi, and even Nicasia. 

I most definitely recommend this series. Those who like adventure, diving into new worlds, fantasy, and a little bit of romance will love these books. This trilogy is quite captivating once you get past the first novel. It’s fun, a little dark at times, and has a few twists and turns. The Folk of the Air also has spin-off books like The Lost Sisters (supposed to be read after book one but before book two) and How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (read after The Queen of Nothing).